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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29592777">Target the Past</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/killeraj68/pseuds/killeraj68'>killeraj68</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Love Live! School Idol Project</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempted Murder, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, F/F, Kidnapping, Minor Violence, Past Torture, Re-Education, Recovery, Tags Are Fun</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-16 01:21:04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,240</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29592777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/killeraj68/pseuds/killeraj68</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A former member of μ's finds her lost love in the man sent to end Maki's life. After helping subdue him, she saw something familiar.</p>
<p>An agent sent to kidnap or assassinate the Nishikino heiress is confined to a room after his defeat. He wonders why one of the twisted girls insists she stay with him, and also why he feels compelled to stay.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Minami Kotori/Sonoda Umi, Minor or Background Relationship(s), Nishikino Maki/Yazawa Nico</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>7</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Setup</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The girls learn more about who's targeting Maki this time. They think have a plan to combat them.</p><p>Outside, her assassin with a vendetta is beginning his infiltration.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Dr. Nishikino heavily sighed, picking up the delivered file. After flipping through it with growing annoyance, he looked up. “Are you certain they’re targeting my daughter now?” he slowly asked his head of security.</p>
<p>“Affirmative, Sir,” he responded, “We’ve intercepted many agents from the Organization, mostly due to Mrs. Yazawa’s involvement. Her division has nearly dismantled them, but their top brass are still alive. Data indicates they’ll be allotting their most elite agent next, to save the remainder for the government. Blackmailing you is not their highest priority. With the pressure on them, they can’t afford to pursue her for much longer.”</p>
<p>The doctor nodded. “Still, to bring this to my attention, there must be a concerning change in the situation besides an elite force. Tell me, what is it?”</p>
<p>There was a hesitance; bringing bad news wasn’t pleasant, but he pressed on. “Since they cannot kidnap the heiress, they may resort to assassination instead. It’d be wise to secure her and whoever is close to her. Mrs. Yazawa suggested this as well.”</p>
<p>“Maki will not like this,” he growled. But her life was more important than her preferences. “It can’t be helped. Immediately have people retrieve Maki and those other girls. Send them to the safe area we’ve prepared first. Answer any of their questions, and if they come up with a practical plan, help them.”</p>
<p>Saluting, the other silently acknowledged the orders and left the office.</p>
<p>Alone, he hung his head in deep thought. Worried. Maki would do fine, he reassured himself.</p>
<p>Brushing his dark red hair out of his tired eyes, he sat up and reached for the phone.</p><hr/>
<p>The Nishikino’s head of security had gave a basic rundown of why they were there; something about Maki being possibly assassinated. Again. Such situations, no matter how the opposing party failed, were always taken seriously by them.</p>
<p>After all, one of their own had disappeared five years ago. Everyone had taken her disappearance hard, especially her fiancé that’d been proposed to a month prior to the incident.</p>
<p>Currently, the former members of μ's had varying opinions of the situation, but they were in agreement that it was a necessary action to be hastily gathered.</p>
<p>“So, Papa said we get to know everything more than that, right? Just come out with it,” Maki ordered.</p>
<p>“Of course. First of all, ‘the Organization’ is the name assigned by the government. While they haven’t named themselves, their calling cards are the chips implanted into their agents’ necks, and an infusion of nanites in their bodies. Without fail, once its become apparent that the agent is unable to escape, they are remotely killed.”</p>
<p>“Then we just have to beat them up, right? We can do that! Right girls!?” one cheered.</p>
<p>Maki shook her head, “No. There’s more than that, isn’t there? If it were so simple, your team could eventually do it.”</p>
<p>“That is correct. Mrs. Yazawa’s team has captured an abandoned training facility. I personally think you girls will feel sympathetic from the findings.”</p>
<p>“What did Mama’s team find?” the daughter curiously asked.</p>
<p>“Their agents, well, their field agents are all victims in this. Kidnapped. Most, if not all, are former celebrities. At least, they were famous enough for their general information to circulate. That information was then used to create personalized virtual hells, to suppress their original memories.”</p>
<p>“C-can that really happen?! Wah-that’s so evil!” The other girls agreed.</p>
<p>“But hold on, why is it only famous people? Can’t they gain their information through hacking? That technical stuff doesn’t come cheap, and to develop anything like personal worlds inside of VR isn’t easy either,” Maki argued.</p>
<p>“Wow, Maki-chan is so smart!” She gave the others a pointed look, “It’s because you all wouldn’t leave me alone about it last Christmas!”</p>
<p>Clearing his throat and regaining their attention, he explained. “It seems they wanted to cut corners in researching their disposable pawns. We know this because only one trainee was sane enough to be questioned because of this error. Evidently, the information gathered on him was mostly false; he did very well on fooling the public.”</p>
<p>Although fearful of hearing such real horror stories, they were hooked. “Then, what did they do to him?” one of the eldest bravely asked.</p>
<p>“The people he supposedly was close to had tortured him every day there, in the virtual world. After the session, he was forced to exercise so that he couldn’t figure out what was reality; the exhaustion would make him faint before he could ponder for too long.”</p>
<p>“Hold on, you can’t make someone do intensive exercises out of nowhere. Their bodies wouldn’t be able to keep up in the long run,” Maki pointed out.</p>
<p>“That is correct, Miss,” he confirmed. “He was already used to his own training beforehand, as is known. The other victims, both alive and dead, had their own prior regimens as well.”</p>
<p>“Wait… Nya! Does that mean I could be next?!” one of the girls shouted in alarm.</p>
<p>“What part of decline didn’t you understand you stupid cat?!” another retorted, “They’re too busy right now to even do their basic programming garbage, right? Also, why didn’t the torture work on him?”</p>
<p>“I was getting to that. In his case, because the setting was blatantly wrong, he figured out what was happening early on. Therefore, he was only shaken from the simulated physical torture and not the mental aspect of it.”</p>
<p>“Hm… So it ain’t a direct type of torture, but one that slowly replaces ya impression of your closest loved ones?” the most motherly of them summarized.</p>
<p>The girls grew sick thinking about it.</p>
<p>Sensing their mood, he diverted the topic; they were sympathetic enough. “Now back to the matter of the chips. The nanites are controlled by the individual, but the chips are the mechanisms being activated as a kill switch. We think that a quick incision and extraction of it before whoever monitors the agents can activate it will save their life. If it’s a success, we could possibly speed up their destruction after a questioning.”</p>
<p>Maki nodded to herself, “I’ll do it, then. If I know how deep it should be, I could do it.”</p>
<p>“Me too. I can help Maki-chan make the cut as well. Skin is easily cut, after all,” another offered.</p>
<p>“If you’re helping her, then there’s no way you can leave me out! Maki-chan can depend on her lovely wife for this~!”</p>
<p>“Y-yeah… great. Now, the chart?” she asked, paying no mind to the last declaration.</p>
<p>Even playing the sympathy card, he hadn’t expected for the girls to make an effort to save whoever was coming.</p>
<p>Revealing a portable projector, he begun explaining the process for a safe extraction.</p>
<p>“Now then, the materials are already in this room,” he began as he turned to leave them alone, “Even though you’re bent on saving this person, remember that they’re probably the most programmed out of their agents. Use the weapons if you’re in danger, even if it’ll trigger the switch.”</p>
<p>He didn’t look back to the conflicted girls, glancing between themselves.</p><hr/>
<p>A man looked down at his phone after parking his car, deeming the place to be the closest he could drive to.</p>
<p>His leader had been quite furious as she gave him his orders from the top, he thought, equipping his tools.</p>
<p>“Number 1, kill the Nishikino harlot if you can’t kidnap her! I don’t know why we’re wasting more time on them just because Yazawa is her mother-in-law, when her damn division is tearing us down, but that’s what they ordered. Oh and, even though you have history with her, don’t you dare forsake your mission for revenge! We raised you better than that.” Without another word, she pointed him to the doorway.</p>
<p>He rolled his eyes at the memory. It was a basic lesson that revenge was always optional. The lower ranks could lose themselves when confronting their past torturers, but he knew himself better than that. Else, there was no way his superiors would assign him the rank of best agent under their command.</p>
<p>Enough of the vanity.</p>
<p>The safe house he was given coordinates to were on the outskirts of the city, but far enough away to oust anyone not among the staff. For him though, it wasn’t too much of a problem. He always did favor the “loud” missions over subtle seduction; never fancied the romancing parts in pursuing female targets.</p>
<p>Still, it was better to take out as many guards as possible for a smooth escape.</p>
<p>Fixing his short black hair to a plain style, he scouted for someone like him on the perimeter.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I shouldn't be starting anything new with so many unfinished stories, but look what happened.</p><p>I also can't write mystery, but my inspiration is being weird.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. The Attempt</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the attempt to assassinate Miss Nishikino doesn't go as planned, in most part due to the unexpected presence of his past torturers.</p><p>One of the girls takes interest in him.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>When he finally opened the correct pair of doors, he couldn’t help his expression from turning to anger. Not only was Nishikino there, but the other seven girls who’d personally tortured him were as well. He didn’t remember their names, but their features were unforgettable.</p><p>Without hesitation, he shot, but the bullet rebounded off a clear wall; he scolded himself for briefly acting in anger. It must’ve been bulletproof glass, he deduced, situated around the seating area. For situations like this, he had to go big.</p><p>Nishikino barely had time to stand from where she sat and confront him when he threw the grenades to one side of the room, ducking into the hallway.</p><p>Hearing the panicked cries of the girls, he rushed back into the dust filled room. With his enhancement he could still see their heat signatures, a significant advantage over his targets. Unfortunately, the sound of vents turned on and his advantage was sucked away soon after.</p><p>No matter. He stood in front of the hole he’d made in their barrier, blocking their only escape. It was easy to shoot the extras then and there, but he was startled by their defiant eyes. They may have been unarmed, yet there was no fear to be found as they faced him, only determination. As expected from scum like them.</p><p>Realizing his mind wandered for a split second once again, he brought his attention back to Nishikino and aimed. She flinched. As another surprise, however, one of the other girls stepped in front of her.</p><p>“Back off! If anyone gets to kill Maki-chan, it’ll be me!” Collectively, everyone exasperatedly sighed in some capacity.</p><p>An alert informed him that this was Yazawa Nico, daughter of the thorn in their side. It was his new primary objective to take her, Nishikino coming second.</p><p>Taking out a second gun, he aimed at two other girls huddled together. “Yazawa, Nishikino. Kindly follow me or I’ll begin eliminating the extras,” he ordered.</p><p>They gritted their teeth, but slowly stood while he kept an eye on the other girls.</p><p>Wait, one of them was missing. Crap. He’d misjudged their capabilities.</p><p>Blindly swinging around, he managed to land a hard hit on whoever had snuck up on him but it’d been too late. A trickle of blood flowed down his neck, and with his back turned to the rest, one of them dug their fingers in and pulled.</p><p>The short timeframe he’d been distracted was the only chance they’d needed.</p><p>Sinking to his knees due to the backlash of being forcibly removed, he lost consciousness while an overwhelming pain spread throughout his nerves.</p><hr/><p>“Hey, you alright?” Maki asked their savior from the floor, tending to the man’s cut with a med kit hidden under the couch. “It looks like that hit will leave a nasty bruise. Luckily, he didn’t get your nose, or it wouldn’t be straight right now.”</p><p>Before they could reply, someone beat her to it.</p><p>“Maki! You’re scaring her.” She huffed, “I’m just stating the truth. Considering this psychopath didn’t hesitate to throw multiple grenades into the room, we’re lucky it’s only minor stuff. That explosion could’ve blown someone to bits.”</p><p>The other girl shakily nodded, gently cupping her cheek. “I’m alright. Maki-chan has a point. I should’ve expected him to swerve around like that too, being someone used to fighting. I trained after all…”</p><p>“Hey, hey. Now’s not the time to brood about it! Besides, you only got a self-defense course, not a murder-with-bare-hands course,” Nico interjected, used to bringing people smiles. Not to mention, frowns didn't suit any of them, she thought.</p><p>“But they were… they were her courses,” she mumbled back, glumly staring at the floor.</p><p>Grimacing, the others decided to remain silent. She always got depressed whenever any memory of her fiancé was brought up.</p><p>Someone needed to change the subject.</p><p>“Maki, do you need any help?”</p><p>“Maybe to move him,” she answered, already finished. “But I’m more concerned about the guards. Honestly, they’re probably dead or bleeding out. It was pretty loud outside.”</p><p>Some of the girls paled, they couldn’t refute it.</p><p>“Um... Maki-chan! He’s all stitched up and just needs bandages right? Why don’t we go on ahead and leave it to our angels?” Before anyone could scold her, the injured girl agreed. “Don’t worry, it’s just a bruise! I can still do it. We’ll be fine.”</p><p>Hastily, even with frayed nerves the other angelic girl nodded. “I can help carry him,” she declared. Seeing such a face, the one hugging her frowned. “But what if his friends come here and hurt nyou two while we're away?"</p><p>“I don’t want to be pessimistic, but it’s possible.” Pursing their lips, they gave their orders as the group’s other motherly figure. “Then stay here and guard them, just in case it happens.”</p><p>Saluting, she accepted the order with a big grin, “Roger that-nya! I’ll protect them from any bad guys that show up! I’m the best private after nyall~.”</p><p>“Good,” she said with a chuckle. Turning to the four who’d be leaving the room with her, she rallied them, “Well girls, let’s do our things!”</p><p>“”Oh~!””</p><p>After they left, as thought, it didn’t take too long for the bandaging.</p><p>“How are we supposed to carry him to the confinement room?” one timidly asked her fiancé and the bandager.</p><p>Humming, the latter looked perplexed as well. “I’ll go wash the blood off my hands first. Could you two carry him onto a couch?” Receiving nods, she went to the attached bathroom, hearing a brief commotion about the glass as she shut the door.</p><p>As the stained water drained, she looked at herself in the mirror. Like Maki said, her cheek was bruising. Touching it, she hissed a little and decided to quickly splash cold water on her face. “Get yourself together. She’d be worried if she saw you like this,” she whispered to herself.</p><p>Staring at her own wistful expression, her new speculation popped back into her head. Soon as she’d gotten a close look at the unconscious man, she felt an insatiable curiosity. It was a hunch, but something inside her said to confirm it no matter what the others thought.</p><p>Stepping back into the room with a bang, the startled girls hurriedly followed her directions. They asked if it was really alright for her to be giving the man a piggyback ride, but she told them it was faster this way; it was actually an excuse to find a certain piece of evidence, though they did arrive quite quickly to their destination.</p><p>Settling him into bed with help, she turned to the other two and asked them to go help the others.</p><p>“Wa-What if he wakes up when you’re alone?” She smiled at the concern, but responded that she could handle herself. The back-and-forth continued for a little longer between the three, but the other two begrudgingly agreed that there may be many guards whose lives were on the line and left.</p><p>When the door clicked shut, locking behind her friends, she let out a sigh. “Now then…,” she said out loud, approaching the unconscious man.</p><hr/><p>Her tiredness evaporated as one of her friends slammed the door open with a loud cheer, “We’re back~!”</p><p>“Ah. Everyone, how did it go?” she asked after the rest trickled in, straightening in her seat.</p><p>“It went great~. Ya can even call it a miracle! We found everyone knocked out, but doing fine. Looks like all the bullets were shot by the guards, but missed somehow.”</p><p>“Oh, it’s great news no one died!”</p><p>“So how has he been?” Maki interrupted, causing their smiles to falter.</p><p>“He’s been asleep.” Before anyone else could comment, she continued speaking. “Actually, Maki-chan. Could I ask you a favor?”</p><p>It was odd timing to ask, Maki thought, but she didn’t see reason to refuse.</p><p>Once the words left the other's mouth though, even the most openminded of them gapped at her.</p><p>“”Ehhh?!””</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Plan is for a short story as I don't think this plot works dragged out.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. New Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>In which the assassin agrees to try staying in their new home, as insisted on by their self imposed caretaker.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>His mind raced as he returned to consciousness, automatically attempting to still his breathing. The first sensations he felt did not match a cold cell but they were not pleasant either, the pain causing himself to loudly gasp out.</p>
<p>It didn’t take a genius to figure out they’d removed the chip connecting to his superiors, but his predicament left him stumped. Squeezing his hands, underneath the pain he felt a soft material in one and something warm in the other.</p>
<p>“Mmm…”</p>
<p>The sleepy murmur made him still again, gritting his teeth. Putting two things together, there was at least one person with him and they were holding his right hand. Based off the pitch, this person was likely a girl. And based off the airy sounds they were making, he concluded they were likely fast asleep.</p>
<p>Slowly opening his eyes, he was surprised to see how luxurious his surroundings were. With one glance, he could tell he was still at the Nishikino residence by décor alone. However, looking past the curtains of the four post bed, he couldn’t tell what time it relatively was. With the room’s bright light, it didn’t matter anyway.</p>
<p>The shock of a light squeeze running up his arm drew his attention away from his environment to the person besides him. He wasn’t willing to turn his head painfully to see them in full, nor could he due to the new neck brace. Earlier, the slightest glimpse of this girl had struck both fear and anger inside him. Now? He felt confusion.</p>
<p>He recalled the other girls were relatively nice, most their methods barely surpassing rough nightly activities in terms of damage, so he’d heard from the doctors. Sure there were ones like Nishikino and the tall blonde who had inflicted precise wounds and hard kicks, respectively. But comparing each one, none of them compared to what the girl next to him did.</p>
<p>Early on, he’d asked about the ash-grey haired tormentor. When it came to her he could only remember an intense fear run through him, rather than the underlying hatred he felt for the others. One doctor had laughed at him, saying if he’d already repressed it then he was an idiot for trying to remember. “I advise that you follow the rule of not bothering to focus on resurfacing memories and take your medication,” he had said.</p>
<p>Inhaling a sharp breath, he slightly trembled as he sat up despite the pain that instantly flared throughout his body.</p>
<p>That’s right, his medication. He was due for his weekly dosage soon, but it had been left back in his dorm on the premise he’d succeed as he always had.</p>
<p>He had to escape. Now.</p>
<p>Carefully exiting the bed and removing the IV with a shaky hand, he checked over himself as best he could. While his borrowed belt and suit jacket were gone, he happily found the rest of him didn’t seem to be touched.</p>
<p>Hobbling over, he made way to the double doors, the only doors besides one leading to a bathroom, assumingly. There were likely guards on the other side, but he jostled the handles anyway. To his irritation, even a tug with his monstrous strength didn’t budge either of the doors. All his effort rewarded him with was the backlash from straining his muscles, causing him to bite down on his tongue and making his knees weak. Considering the girl was with him, he half expected it’d be unlocked, but it seems Nishikino or whoever wasn’t taking chances.</p>
<p>Antsy, he halfheartedly went for the closed curtains instead. The little hope he had was quickly dashed, the windows behind them weren’t options with metal shutters over them.</p>
<p>It was when he growled in frustration, banging his hands painfully on them, that the girl groggily woke up from the commotion.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Aware the bed was empty, she panicked after her grogginess was rubbed away. It didn’t last long though as a slow paced banging was heard, causing her to swerve to the sound. She calmed considerably, sight locked on the other occupant.</p>
<p>Good. They were still there, she thought with a relieved sigh. Still, she was incredibly angry.</p>
<p>Bolting up, she quickly crossed the room. “What do you think you’re doing?!” she cried, her shrill voice making them pause and turn around slowly. A guarded look settled in the cold brown eyes as their gazes met, a brief sadness washing over her before her resolve came back.</p>
<p>“Why are you out of bed?” she asked in a gentler tone. Instead of answering her question of concern, she recognized a subtle battle stance when she saw it. She wouldn’t be deterred from the display of uncooperativeness. “I don’t want to hurt you. I only want what’s best. You need rest,” she insisted.</p>
<p>“In that case, release me so that I may return to my… residence. I will not pursue after Nishikino nor Yazawa should you do so.” As the plea was made, she couldn’t help from noticing the wavering pitch of their voice which they both seemed painfully aware of.</p>
<p>Such strange behavior only served to enforce her determination towards her goal. “I’m sorry, but I can’t let you return to your superiors. You’re hurt and in no condition to move at all!” she countered with a plea of her own.</p>
<p>“Quit your bullshit!” She stepped back from the fury radiating off the heaving being, the loud yells making her shrink away. “Isn’t it because of you that I’m like this!? I know you’re the one who snuck behind me and slashed open my neck. It’s because of you that your friends were able to rip out the chip, causing me to fail my mission for the first time in my years of service! The evidence is on your face!”</p>
<p>It was the truth, she thought, cupping her bandaged cheek unconsciously. But it wasn’t unjustified. “While I did, you were threatening my friends too. I couldn’t let you take away Maki-chan and Nico-chan either! I’ve already lost a lot because of your…” No, it wasn’t time to tell.</p>
<p>While she tried to grasp at other words, the other did so first. “I see how it is. You recognize me from before.”</p>
<p>“Huh?” she exclaimed confusedly. “Before… what do you mean?” It was the wrong response as she was met with another bout of scorn, though more reigned in. She visibly cringed as she listened to descriptions that were of her, yet not. Yes the physical description matched her, and next to no one could impersonate that, but the actions certainly were not. That went for her friends as well. They wouldn’t do the awful things being described to her so meticulously and she wanted them to stop, but she had no intention to interrupt the vent. The only reason she tolerated it was because it was good that the other was speaking so willingly of their past wounds, plus, she sincerely cared about the person in front of her.</p>
<p>So she remained standing, wincing at the verbal onslaught, the punisher having lost the strength in their knees long since, sunken pitifully to the floor with frustrated tears.</p>
<p>“Do you still want to leave?” she question after the room grew silent, most in part due to a hoarse voice versus a willingness to stop. Receiving a quiet confirmation, she frowned.</p>
<p>“How about this?” She bent down to meet the ever so cold gaze at its’ own level to make a proposal. “Stay here, and see if all those things you said about me and my friends are true. Live with me as your caretaker, see if I’m really as cruel as you think. To be honest though, I know they’re not because they’re 100% fake memories made by your organization. I guarantee that.” She was careful to not react to the skeptical gaze glossing over her face.</p>
<p>“To live with you, who torments others for no reason except enjoyment?” the inquiry aimed more at themselves, rather than her. Because of the highly insulted look they made at her proposal, she expected another incoming fuss. Instead, they agreed. “I have no choice in the matter, yes? And even if I took you hostage or killed you, I wouldn’t get to see the light of day again… I’m tired, so I’d like to rest now.”</p>
<p>The nonchalance had her frozen in a crouch in front of them, unable to process her wildly running thoughts. Luckily, it only took a quiet hiss of pain to snap her out of it, causing her to stand and help them back to the bed they'd wandered from.</p>
<p>Insisting they wanted to be alone after being reluctantly tucked in like a child, she closed the curtains on the bed and then stumbled over to the nearby couch to collect herself.</p>
<p>The softness of the cushions could not still her heart.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Yes, this'll be a short story. While it could be executed better, slower, I don't have the ability for a nice slow build.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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